Wheelbarrow attachment



Feb.6,1968 H.E.PUHL 3,367,674

WHEELBARROW ATTACHMENT File d Dec. 8, 1965 INVENTOR.

HENRY E. PUHL United States Patent 3,367,674 WHEELBARROW ATTACHMENTHenry Erwin Puhl, Kendall, Wis. 54638 Filed Dec. 8, '1965, Ser. No.513,659 Claims. (Cl. 280-13) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wheelbarrowski attachment having a wheel cradling loop and specific connectingmeans for connecting the loop to the ski runner to permit thewheelbarrow to be dumped without removing the wheel from the attachmentand specific ski runner construction.

My invention is directed toward wheelbarrows and more particularlyrelates to attachments therefor.

It is an object of my invention to provide a new and improved deviceadapted for detachable engagement with a wheelbarrow whereby when thewheelbarrow is used therewith, the wheelbarrow can be moved or pushedover ice, snow and the like without skidding and without any loss ofcontrol.

Another object is to provide a new and improved device of the characterindicated which, when in use, converts the wheel of the barrow into asled runner.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved device of thecharacter indicated which can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of myinvention will now be explained with reference both to thisspecification and to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my attachment in use as secured to awheelbarrow;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of my attachment per se;

FIG. 3 is a top view of my attachment; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of my attachment.

Referring first to FIGS. 2-4, my attachment, which is made of metal isprovided with a sled runner identified generally at having its front end12 curved upward with a metal ribbon 14 extending upward and backward toform a vertical closed loop. Runner 10 has a curved rear end 16terminating in a metal ribbon 18 curving upward and then extendinghorizontally forward above and along the main body of the runner tosupport one end of a horizontal rectangular hollow loop 20. A U- shapedsupport member 22 has the free upper ends of its upwardly extending legssecured to opposite sides of the loop in diametrically oppositepositions.

The runner itself is formed from two pieces of right angle brackets 24,the vertical legs 26 of these brackets being welded together to form avertical rail, the two horizontal legs 28 extending outward to form thebottom surface or ribbon for the runner.

In use, as shown in FIG. 1, the wheel 30 of the wheelbarrow 32 is placedwithin loop with the bottom peripheral portion of the wheel resting onthe bottom portion of member 22 which in turn is supported by andextends transversely of the rail. The vertical plane of the wheel iscoincident with that of the rail.

The wheelbarrow can then be pushed over ice or snow 3,367,674 PatentedFeb. 6, 1968 with the runner preventing skidding or loss of control. Theloop 22 is sufficiently longer than the wheel diameter to permit thebarrow to be dumped without having first to remove the wheel from theattachment.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to thedrawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claimswhich follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A wheelbarrow ski attachment comprising: an elongated sled runnerhaving a front end and a rear end; a generally horizontal annular loopdisposed above and intermediate the ends of said runner adapted tocradle the wheel of a wheelbarrow; connecting means providing clearancespace immediately in front of and immediately below the forward portionof said loop for connecting said loop to said runner and permitting theforward transverse frame member of the wheelbarrow to pass immediatelyin front of and below the forward portion of said loop to clear saidconnecting means whereby the wheelbarrow may be tilted forward fordischarge without removal from said ski attachment.

2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said sled runner includesan elongated generally horizontal ribbon portion adapted to contact onthe underside thereof the surface on which the wheelbarrow is to slide;and an elongated upstanding web disposed intermediate the sides of saidrunner and extending longitudinally along the top side of said ribbonportion whereby said runner is open at the sides and will not retaindebris on the upper side of said ribbon portion.

3. The apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein said loop includes aU-shaped member, said U-shaped member having legs spaced a greaterdistance one from the other than the Width of said ribbon portion andconnected to said loop on the opposite sides thereof; and meanssupporting the intermediate portion of said U- shaped member on saidupstanding web substantially above said ribbon whereby said U-shapedmember sufficiently clears the surface on which the runner is to slidedespite being wider than said ribbon.

4. The apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein said runner includes twoelongated right angle members each having an upstanding leg secured inback-to-back relation to the upstanding leg of the other member and eachhaving a horizontal leg in coplanar relation with the horizontal leg ofthe other member.

5. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the sole means forconnecting said loop to said runner is fastened to said runner onlyrearwardly of said forward portion of said loop.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,733,774 10/1929 Brye 280-131,810,042 6/ 1931 Gerth 280l3 2,321,561 6/1943 Bircher 28013 LEOFRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiner.

L. D. MORRIS, Assistant Examiner.

